US 12,354,219 B1
Method of creating a measurable three-dimensional virtual model
Shane Lee Wells, Aurora, CO (US); and Erik LaPlante, Timnath, CO (US)
Assigned to National Carwash Solutions, Inc., Grimes, IA (US)
Filed by National Carwash Solutions, Inc., Grimes, IA (US)
Filed on Feb. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/114,661.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/314,231, filed on Feb. 25, 2022.
Int. Cl. G06T 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC G06T 17/00 (2013.01) [G06T 2200/24 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of creating a three-dimensional, measurable, virtual model of a functional portion of a facility, comprising the steps of:
taking a first 360-degree scan at a first location of the facility using both a visual camera and a LIDAR instrument;
taking a second 360-degree scan at a second location of the facility that is different than the first location using the visual camera and the LIDAR instrument;
saving the first and second 360-degree scans on a data storage unit of a portable computing device;
creating a first image and a second image each having visual portions thereof on the portable computing device from the first 360-degree scan and the second 360-degree scan;
creating a first point cloud and a second point cloud on the portable computing device from the first and second 360-degree scans and coupling the first point cloud and the second point cloud with the first image and the second image;
coupling the first and second images and the first point cloud and the second point cloud by manually manipulating overlapping portions of the visual portions of the first and second images on the portable computing device to create a combined image;
coupling the visual portions of the combined image with the first point cloud and the second point cloud to create a measurable three-dimensional model;
attaching a marker to at least one component of the facility with component identification data;
storing the measurable three-dimensional model in an electronic storage device accessible from a remote location; and
combining the viewable and measurable virtual model with an electronic three-dimensional utility map to create a composite map.